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Justice For Raviraj: Attorney General Wants Retrial

Just weeks since the Colombo High Court acquitted all five suspects involved in the murder of former TNA MP Nadaraja Raviraj, the Attorney General has sought a retrial.

Raviraj

The Attorney General today made an appeal to the Appeal Court against the recent judgement made by the Colombo High Court, and has sought a retrial into the murder case of the Parliamentarian, who was shot dead in November 2006 in Colombo.

In December, the Colombo High Court acquitted all five suspects including three former intelligence officers of the Sri Lanka Navy. The decision was received with vehement opposition with even Ministers in the government condemning the court decision and also questioning the independence of the country’s judiciary. Many who voiced their disappointment over the court ruling questioned if the trial was fair, taking into consideration that the members of the special jury, the judge and even the suspects were all Sinhalese while only the victim was Tamil.

TNA Parliamentarian M A Sumanthiran, who also represented the victim’s family in the case said he did not accept the ruling. Sumanthiran pointed out that the court verdict against Raviraj’s murder trial was one reason why the TNA was continuously advocating for foreign judges to be present in an effort to maintain the independence of the judiciary, even when it comes to matters relating to war crimes.

Minister of National Coexistence Dialogue and Official Languages Mano Ganesan expressed his disappointment soon after the ruling, tweeting “It is frustrating because it’s as if Raviraj shot himself and his security.”

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karl/January 14, 2017

If the comment was removed by the editor, how did it nevertheless receive two thumbs up?!!

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anonymous/January 11, 2017

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Thank you AG. Justice at last for one. Get the people in the previous jury’s credentials checked and get them on trial as well.

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Ben Hurling/January 11, 2017

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What a goddamned circus!

Everything else! Justice, it is NOT!

Cheers!

PS:
Dear AG,
How are you doing?
Are Tajudeen’s remains still being tested in Canada? LOL!
Have you no shame?

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Native Vedda/January 11, 2017

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Ben Hurling

“What a goddamned circus!”

When VP surrendered to forces MR refused to put him on trial fearing it could bring international legal circus to this island.

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malik/January 12, 2017

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Native Vedda

When VP surrendered to forces??

Yes what a hero gave free cyanide capsules to others nnot to be taken alive and the leaders and cowards of the death cult misplaced their capsules. what a circus indeed. still those clowns who supported this circus and sold the Tamil liberation cause also paid the price.

Areee Not Bankum but Bankuuuuuuu

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Native Vedda/January 12, 2017

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malik

I understand why you were disappointed by VP’s promised action or inaction. I am told many of his ardent supporters too felt had suffered similar kind of pain.

I am sure Jegath Dias would have found out as to why VP didn’t swallow his own medicine.

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justice/January 12, 2017

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NV,
Sure. Even “white flag bearers” were shot dead.

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Saro/January 11, 2017

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At least there is a hope that ethnic minorities could expect justice. It’s a right decision by the AG. We also must look at ways of amending the law or changing the way an accused is given the right to choose the ethnic origin of the jury. It might end up giving impunity to the perpetrators of crimes. Neutrality and unbiasedness must be an integral part of serving justice.

When an accused is from one ethnicity and the jury is deliberately from another then the justice is not seen to be served.

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Sunil/January 11, 2017

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Saro, Not just ethnic minorities all Sri Lankans want criminals to be punished and not protected by a few corrupt individuals within the government!!

All these people protecting these criminal should be put on an international criminal watch list for they would be a part of the extended Mahinda Rajapaksas criminal network…

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Burt/January 14, 2017

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This is another load of BS just to show that the AG is doing the right thing. All this could have been avoided had the AG done his job in the first place, it was only Suminithran that protested the all Sinhala jury and jury trial while the AG accepted it.

This is going to be another eye wash without international involvement. If the local justice system is all what you got NON of the high profile cases are going to see justice that includes Thajudeen, Lasantha etc.

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Dcn/January 11, 2017

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Good move by the AG and this would give some hopes for the aggrieved parties.

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Aia/January 11, 2017

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This is a clear case of how politic intertwined with law and order. Of late, judges have been delivering verdicts assuming this is what MS want to see as he doesn’t like to implicate war heroes in any murder cases.

But in this case, what the verdict delivered does is, it justifies the call to have foreign judges on the bench for cases in which victims are minorities. HE realizes the danger brining foreign judges, which probably put war zeros on the chopping block, what the AG does is playing a game for IC, not an attempt to remediate a situation and deliver some relief to the family seeking justice for last 10 years. How long will it last? Another 10 years. This time Karuna, being a Tamil, might be nominated as one of the juries.

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Burt/January 11, 2017

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Sri Lanka justice system where it matters is filled with racists and bigots, so unless there is international involvement forget about justice and rule of law.

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Plato./January 11, 2017

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Normally,in cases of Trial By Jury it is the direction of the Judge on the facts and the evidence led with the applicable Law that clinches a verdict.
In this instance,since the AG has appealed the fault lies entirely with the Trial Judge.
What beats me is why did Sumathiran & co not ask for a TRIAL-AT-BAR IN THE FIRST INSTANCE?

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Mallaiyuran/January 12, 2017

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This is what they call like “Raal Pauddu Sura Pidickrathu” (Throwing a shrimp to catch a shark)

If Yahapalanaya had punished the murderers in the first place nobody would have paid attention to this murder case verdict. Further Yahapalanaya will be under pressure for Foreign Judges and Lawyers. So it did it in a very magnificent Appa Diplomatic way. Thinking this smart Yahapalanaya as foolish people, who wrongly let the murders to go while the IC was watching with War Crime on its hand, is absurdity.

It first said to the Sinhala judge to be lenient and to Sinhala Speaking jury to let the murderers go. Then all the Tamils and activist and NGO cried loud ” Didn’t we say this is what going to happen; We said that; We said that.” Then Colombo diplomats might have called the liar Mangala. His reply would have been “No ….no …..no This is absolutely wrong. We will not let this to go ahead. Even in the internal investigation of war crime if something goes wrong, we will take care that too. Don’t worry.”

When the March 2017 passes, New King will reappoint the Judge and Ranil will spread another story that “there is going to be change in the Cabinet, especially with the ministers dealing with the diplomats”

So the defenders may now have to come back to the Army hospital for few more weeks to have freed their political bosses and army brethren accused in the war crime.

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Arun/January 12, 2017

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Good decision. At the onset AG should have sought a trial by bar. Sinhala or Tamil jury will not have or seen as not to have dispensed justice due to the ethnic related passions associated.

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TA/January 12, 2017

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These high profile cases involving the Military should be held Trial at Bar and include foreign observers from International Court of Justice. All cases pending before lower courts should now be referred to the higher courts for quick deliverance of Justice.

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Common Sense/January 12, 2017

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Many may praise the AG as a good move. But it is a remedy afterthought. In the first place he should have requested a High-Court-at-Bar originally in cases of this nature, as it is a high profile. When the case came up before a single judge and the accused requested a Jury of their choice, even at that late stage, the parties agrieved should have requested for a postponement to canvass a request before the CJ for a High-Court-at-Bar. In my opinion the lack of foresight on the part of that Department and as well as those who looked after the victim’s interest is the cause of much wastage of time and expenditure.

Now don’t criticize the Appeal judges if they refuse, because generally Jury acquittals are not appealed. If that is the case the very purpose of Jury trials are lost.

It would be sad if those responsible for that murder (for that matter any murder) walks scot free.

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justice/January 12, 2017

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Jury selection in murder trials are a lengthy process in civilised countries, where, those who are really neutral, educated & really understand the law, and, do not have prejudices, are selected,

We need to follow this procedure.

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Shan/January 12, 2017

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Who knows, maybe again a bid to cheat!

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Spring Koha/January 14, 2017

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IF at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and try again.

(If only we tried half as hard with Bindunuwewa suspects!)

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Mano/January 15, 2017

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All Sinhala Jury was the best bet for a sure win and what’s wrong with that? Win by cook or crook is a win after all.

Long live the Sri Lankan Justice System. A Sri Lankan pride worth Taking to International War Crimes Courts.

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Mallaiyuran/January 19, 2017

This comedy has come to an end. The Supreme Court puppets under Sripavan dismissed the application.

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naren/January 22, 2017

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PARAGON,

Really a fascinating comment.I won’t be surprised if MARA does this in case he captures power.

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naren/January 22, 2017

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In Sri Lanka bias against minorities even in the Court of Law is nothing new. When Vidya Sivaloganathan was raped and brutally murdered in Punguduthivu in May 2015, the President met the aggrieved family in Jaffna and and promised fast-track court and investigation. The case is still being dragged on even after obtaining DNA report. In the case of Seya Sadewmi of Kotadeniyawa which occurred in September,2015, verdict was pronounced by the Court on 15th March,2016(in a matter of 166 days).

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